ST. CLOUD, Minn. _ The Minnesota National Guard on Saturday identified the three soldiers who died when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed this week in a snowy Stearns County farm field.
The three were Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles Nord, 30; Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr., 28, and Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg, 28. All three soldiers were assigned to Company C, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, based in St. Cloud. They had returned in May from a nine-month deployment to the Middle East, where they conducted medical evacuations in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve.
On Thursday, the three took off about 2 p.m. in a UH-60 Black Hawk on a routine maintenance test flight. The crew sent a mayday alert nine minutes after the helicopter took off from the St. Cloud aviation facility and then it disappeared. Local and state emergency workers swarmed the area in an intensive search before a State Patrol helicopter with thermal imaging cameras spotted the wreckage about 16 miles southwest of St. Cloud.
Investigators Friday began the task of trying to determine the cause of the crash.
Guard officials have scheduled a news conference on Saturday afternoon to talk more about the soldier who died and provide any updates about the crash, if there are any.
"They paid the ultimate price in their service," Gov. Tim Walz, a 24-year member in the Army National Guard, said in a prepared statement. "Words will never ease the pain of this tragic loss, and the state of Minnesota is forever in the debt of these warriors."
Memorials to the three soldiers grew near the crash site off County Road 48. Poinsettias and roses were placed below a flagpole; a stained-glass angel stands on the frozen earth under a Christmas wreath.
Larry Krippner used the family's bobcat to lift his son, Kurt, atop the flagpole Saturday afternoon to check the small solar panel meant to light the memorial at night.
The family erected the tribute Friday morning after the helicopter crashed on their rural Stearns County farm. With the ongoing investigation blocking access to their gravel pit and idling from their work temporarily, bought a large American flag and built a tribute to the fallen soldiers and give a place for grieving families a place to heal.
"We may not know the men, but we're heartbroken for the families," said Kristi Kalkbrenner. "After this went up, we stood in a circle to pray and cried."
"It hits home that people lost their lives here," she said, as tears welled in her eyes.
Since the crash, residents from nearby communities of Marty, Rockville, Cold Spring and Kimball have banded together to feed local authorities and investigators in from Alabama.
The Krippner family put out a call for assistance Friday evening and within 15 minutes, every request was filled. Restaurants and businesses donated ham, bread and cases of water for prepared meals.
"We're hoping they take a few minutes to eat and get warm," Kalkbrenner said.
If they can't, it will be waiting for them when they return.
